MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Students at one school are celebrating Black History Month by seeing, firsthand, the success some African-American men are achieving in Memphis.
“A football player, a basketball player or a surgeon,” seventh-grader Marico Davis told WREG. That is what he wants to be when he grows up.
Teach for America and FedEx put on a Black History Month event for students at Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School on Tuesday.
They got to visit with five African-American FedEx executives.
“Every kid today told me what college that they want to go to, which is now putting in their minds that they want to be somebody and continue to grow in this community,” said Shannon Brown, the senior vice president chief of HR and diversity officer for FedEx.
That is a message Teach for America tries to impart in the classrooms here.
“They just can see, they can see the possibilities,” said Erika Conley, the Teach for America director of development and public affairs.
“It makes me think about my future, because some people, they have great achievements and they inspire me to go, like sometimes, do the same achievements,” Marico said.
During the visit, FedEx gave the school a $10,000 donation to finance new books and renovations for the library. The men shared with the boys how important reading is to achieve their goals.
There are about 255 students who attend the school.